The present invention relates to an adjustable brake pedal for use in a vehicle, particularly a motor vehicle.
It is known practice for adjustable pedalboxes to be fitted in motor vehicles. Some are currently used in vehicles equipped with automatic gearboxes, and are controlled from a control unit which is accessible from the driving position. The term “adjustable” means that all or part of the pedalbox can be moved longitudinally of the vehicle, closer to or away from the driver's seat, so that it is made possible to tailor the position of at least part of the pedalbox to the position of the driver's seat, and therefore, to the driver's size.
It is also known practice, in vehicles equipped with mechanical gearboxes, to provide a brake pedal which can be adjusted to suit the size of the driver. One known adjustable brake pedal includes a framework structure which is mounted for rotation about a first rotation spindle connected to the bulkhead of the vehicle. A peg is fixed to one end of a pedal web, and is configured to slide in a slot provided in the framework structure. A movement mechanism is provided to cause the peg to slide in the slot, defining a length (L) between the rotation spindle of the framework structure and the other end of the pedal web. A link is connected to the framework structure, and is mounted for rotation about a second rotation spindle which is configured for connection to the bulkhead of the vehicle, to receive the end of a rod associated with the brake booster of the vehicle at a distance (R) from the second rotation spindle.
This type of adjustable brake pedal is not entirely satisfactory, particularly for small drivers. The reason is that once the pedal has been adjusted, the braking effected by the driver is not necessarily strong enough to be able to brake the vehicle correctly because the working travel of the pedal, and accordingly, the serviceable braking force, is not compensated for.